Israel 'abandoned' haredi students, education reform needed, Aliza Bloch tells 'Post' - interview

Former Beit Shemesh mayor and Unity Party member Aliza Bloch told The Jerusalem Post that Israel has 'abandoned' its haredi students by allowing education decisions to be made outside the public sector. Bloch argued that education reform must begin in kindergarten, emphasizing that children need to learn about Israeli society and civic responsibility from a young age. She linked education to conscription, stating the state cannot wait until age 18 to demand responsibility. Bloch called for a broad Zionist government, saying a narrow coalition cannot function after the war. She did not rule out sitting under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prioritizing government composition over the premier's identity.

Former Beit Shemesh mayor and Unity Party member Aliza Bloch told The Jerusalem Post that Israel has 'abandoned' its haredi students by allowing decisions about their education to be made outside the public sector. Bloch, an educator who recently joined former UN ambassador Gilad Erdan and MK Yuli Edelstein's new Unity Party, argued that reforming the education system must begin in kindergarten. She criticized the structure of Israel's education system, stating the government has ceded too much responsibility to non-public bodies. Bloch linked education to conscription, arguing the state cannot wait until age 18 to demand responsibility from young people who have not been given the opportunity to understand Israeli society. She called for a broad Zionist government rather than a narrow coalition, saying a narrow government cannot function after the war. Bloch did not rule out sitting under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, prioritizing government composition over the premier's identity. On Gaza, she said the central test of any postwar policy should be whether Israelis can live safely. The Unity Party was launched in early August 2026 as a right-wing framework committed to universal military service and broad coalitions.